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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fall — to drop
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pit — in a race
  8. board — to get on
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bound — tied together
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bound — certain
  17. pit — a hole
  18. snap — to click
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fall — the season
  23. board — a committee
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com